ORS 468.148 Legislative findings and declarations

The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that the purposes of ORS 468.149 are to:

Retain the protections afforded to public health and this state’s environment and natural resources under the baseline federal standards contained in federal environmental laws, regardless of actions taken at the federal level;

Protect the public health, safety and welfare of the people of Oregon from any actual or potential adverse effect that reasonably may be anticipated to occur from pollution, including the effects of climate change;

Preserve, protect and enhance this state’s environment and natural resources, including, but not limited to, state and national parks, recreation areas, wilderness areas, monuments and ocean shores and other areas with special national or regional natural, recreational, scenic or historic value;

Provide for stable regulatory conditions to support long-term economic growth; and

Ensure that decisions made by state agencies that may adversely impact public health, the environment or natural resources are made only after careful evaluation of all consequences and only after adequate procedural opportunities for informed public participation in decision-making processes.